Bi-Weekly Book Reviews for Ambitious Achievers

Why Should I Read | Attitude is Everything

In this week’s video on the Why Should I Read That series, Jeff Keller’s Attitude is Everything is the book under review. Interestingly, the Tesla 3 reveal is a great illustration of how thought patterns play into attitude and lead to action.

I’m including the 4 minute video below, which has two main points:

Thought patterns lead to conversation and are the precursor of action.

Habits contribute to our subconscious thought patterns and by taking control of our habits we influence our tendency for action

Check the video out here:

Also as promised in the video, we will cover the 7 ways in which adversity serves as a benefit to us.

You may be wondering, isn’t the point of problems to be fixed, for adversity to be overcome, and comfort to be reached? Yes. However, the way in which we approach adversity can either help us or harm us as we endure or triumph over them.

So without further ado, here are Jeff Keller’s 7 ways in which adversity serves us.

Adversity gives us perspective. Say for example (because it happened), it snowed three inches today. Michigan doesn’t usually get snow in April. I could be bummed about the snow, because it affects my evening plans, but on the road today I saw a tow truck on its way to pull a car out of the ditch. I was immediately reminded that things were going relatively great for me today.

Adversity teaches us to be grateful. Doing my best to not be cliché, we don’t appreciate things as much until they are gone. I have written before about my tenuous relationship with manual labor on my parent’s farm growing up. However, now looking back on that I see the value in it, from learning diligence, responsibility, and the like, to maintaining a physically active lifestyle simply by doing that job.

Adversity brings out our hidden potential. By overcoming, we are better prepared to face the next challenge. I have a two-fold story on this one. I can remember being turned down for a certain internship and being quite frustrated. However, because of that denial, I was open later for accepting a political job that required me to use every single skill I had in my repertoire. That field rep position equipped me for almost all of the challenges I have experienced in the last 18 months and each time I’m faced with a challenge, I can remember what I overcame to succeed in that job and I’m encouraged. Had it been easier, I wouldn’t have that experience to draw on now.

Adversity encourages us to make changes and take action. One speaker and author I have an incredible amount of respect for, Orrin Woodward, shouted on an audio one time, “When the pain of staying the same overcomes the pain of change, you will change.” For some, this means that they would rather stay the same and lose rather than overcome their adversity, change, and win. For others, this means that they meet hardship, realize that the pain of becoming who they need to be to win is less than the pain of staying the same, and triumph.

Adversity teaches us valuable lessons. If you fail in business or in life, it’s highly likely you shouldn’t repeat that mistake that led to the failure. Like all the others, this benefit is available only if you and I choose to learn the lesson. I was driving too fast on a tractor growing up, went through a dip and broke the plow I was towing. I had to face my father and tell him I busted his plow, definitely an adversity. However, if I didn’t learn from that and went careening around the farm at high rates of speed you can be sure I would have had to go tell my dad that I broke more implements of his.

Adversity opens a new door. Back to the rejection I faced when applying for that internship a couple years back. Because they turned me down, I got to live on my own in Texas, be responsible for getting 28,898 votes for Greg Abbott, and learn a ton.

Adversity builds confidence and self esteem. Please don’t take these stories as braggadocios, because of the tough situations I found myself in, I look back and appreciate the challenges. And the same is available for everyone reading this! When you choose the higher road of looking for the positive aspects of your situations, you gain skills and insights that directly contribute to your confidence to face the next challenge.

The view you take of adversity can be either negative or positive. Remember this quote from Mary Case.

Your personal reader, I’ll test the books in this series for you!

Jon DeLange is the owner of Jumpsix Marketing Grand Rapids and Director of Development at Lakeshore Pregnancy Center. Find him reviewing books on YouTube as "Why Should I Read That." Visit jondelange.com to keep in touch!